​The Blurry Pickers had already started their set and in keeping with Hillside tradition as I approached the stage I noticed there were toddlers dancing naked, and a giant bearded man with a single dreadlock grooving to the music. The Blurry Pickers requires a slight history lesson for the sake of musical context. Not everyone is necessarily aware, but Jerry Garcia had a bluegrass band with David Grisman called Old and In The Way. Not only that, but both Jerry and David were students of the great Bill Monroe, the progenitor of the bluegrass genre.

​It seems that the Blurry Pickers are a living tribute to that era of Jerry’s life. They are by no means straight up bluegrass, but more a representation of The Grateful Dead and Jerry’s bluegrass days rolled into one experience. Amidst groovy originals, the crowd really got down when they covered Grateful Dead songs in bluegrass style and Old and In The Way Songs in a Dead style. Perhaps they are of the Dead Grass style invented by Vassar Clements in tribute to Jerry. Regardless The Blurry Pickers are an amazing live experience. They all seem to take turns singing and I could not help but smile for the entire time they were playing. Although everyone around me dancing like goofballs definitely lent a helping hand to my lack of inhibitions. So please do go see the Blurry pickers if you think that psychedelic bluegrass is worth your while.